Stutter Boy

2. Late on the first day

Ethan's POV

“C'mon..Ethan! Wake up. It's already 6:30,” My Mom yells in my ear whilst shaking me hard.

“Ahhhh...! Go away Mom,” I groan yanking away her hands and digging my head, deep into the pillow, closing my both ears with my palm in order to block her loud, high-pitched voice. Why the hell is she yelling in my ear? Stupid Mom.

“Ethan! It's 6:30 already. Even if you start from here right now, you would only reach there at 9. And taxi's already waiting at the gates since five minutes.”

“What!? 6: 30?” I instantly jump up from the bed, suddenly becoming aware of why she is yelling. There's almost a two and a half hour journey to my school and I need to reach there before 9, then get my new room key and place my luggage in my room before going to class.

“Yeah, 6:30,” Mom scoffs pointing at the alarm clock.

“Oh heck! Didn't I tell you to call me at 6? Where were you Mom?” I ask in exasperation whilst brushing my unruly hair backward.

My Mom leaves a sigh of disdain. “Didn't you tell me you'd set alarm at 6 and I don't need to call you? I thought you were taking a shower,” she says furiously. I look at the alarm clock. I had in fact set the alarm yesterday night. Maybe I unconsciously turned it off.

Mom continues angrily. “Now, how are you gonna reach school in time? You need to first get your dorm key from the office right? Didn't I tell you to go yesterday itself? Now, look what happened. Why are you so irresponsible Ethan?”

“Ahh..okay okay, stop. I would reach there in time. I just need to change,” I say and rush to my wardrobe. “Don't worry Mom. I would just place my luggage in the office or somewhere and go to room, evening,” I say whilst hurriedly taking out a shirt and jeans. My Mom just rolls her eyes at me.

“Quick! It’s your first day of senior year,” she informs me before walking out of the room.

I quickly brush my teeth and change into the shirt and pants I took. Good that I had already taken a bath yesterday night. Then I hastily pull my luggage out of my room and rush out deciding to comb my hair in the taxi.

I look at the room near me. My little sister's room. How could I go without saying Goodbye to her? But if I go to say bye now, I would get more late. I don't actually mind getting late to school as I haven’t been so good at discipline from the beginning itself. Last year I usually went ten or fifteen minutes late to class every day. But now the thing is, my taxi is waiting for me downstairs.

Damn! Let him wait. I would pay him more if he insists. I quickly rush into Evelyn's room. There's no way I am going without telling her. Or she is gonna punch me hard when I come back this weekend. And I don't have a wish to turn into her punching bag.

“Hey Eve!” I yell rushing into her room. She was peacefully lying asleep on her bed in a cute ball. She is just 6.

Eve slowly flutters open her eyes as I shake her. I smile at her as she opens her eyes and smiles at me. “Good morning Eve. Look, your big bro is late for school on the first day itself,”

“Oh!” she gasps looking at the alarm clock near her. “okay then rush! I don't wanna g..get you late,” she says. I smile and kiss her on both of her cheeks. “Bye Eve. Have a good day at school,”

“Bye Eddie,” She says and kisses my cheeks.

“Oh..Ethan! Enough Rush!” Mom shouts from the doors, holding a lunch box in her hands. I quickly turn and rush out of the room

“Here, I made you a sandwich. Have this in the car,” she says and hands me the tiffin. “Don't skip breakfast,” she warns with a threatening gaze.

“Thanks, Mom,” I smile taking the tiffin from her hands and quickly planting a kiss on her cheeks before rushing down the stairs, yelling 'Bye Mom.' I didn't have time to turn back or observe her reaction but I bet she was standing there, smiling at me.

I get into the taxi after throwing my luggage inside the trunk. Soon enough the driver turns the key in the ignition and starts up the taxi whilst heaving a sigh, pulling it off of the sides, driving in direction of my school, Westview high in Texas.

The driver, Mr. John is familiar as he is the one who takes me to school after every weekend. I actually have a car but I don't need a car at school since I am staying at the dorm. So my Mom alternatively uses my car and when I come back on weekends, I use it to go and meet old friends and also to take Eve to the park and shopping and stuff.

My Mom is a lawyer, one of the famous lawyers in our place. About my dad, I don’t really like to talk about him. But let me tell a bit. It's three years since he left us and married another woman. He sometimes calls and texts me and visits me and Eve at school, once or twice a year. So my Mom and sister are all I have.

Between I'm studying in Westview with an athletic Football scholarship. There's absolutely no fee. Tuition and dorm stay are all free. I got the scholarship while I was in sophomore year and I was of course not a fool to miss the golden opportunity that came to me. Westview is such a reputed school with excellent faculty and infrastructure. Also we have a highly skilled Football coach and we get excellent football training.

I lean back in the seat and close my eyes, deciding to take a nap as it takes almost two and half hours to the university.

I wake up to Mr. John calling my name. I look out of the window and see we are almost near Westview. It would take only fifteen more minutes to reach there. Mr. John always calls me fifteen minutes before so that I can have my breakfast.

I quickly open the lunch box Mom gave me and have the sandwich. By the time I finish it, we are in front of my School. I look at my watch and see the time 9:05.

“Shoot! I am late,” I say taking my wallet out of my back pocket. I quickly pay Mr. John for the ride and then get my luggage out of the trunk.

After saying bye to Mr. John, I rush towards the dorm office where our secretary Miss Rose is sitting on her chair in front of the computer, reading a book. She looks up from the book and looks at me, probably on hearing my fast footsteps.

“Oh Ethan, you are late again,” she states. She knows me very well as I am on the football team and I am somewhat popular in school and dorm.

“Yeah,” I nod with a grin. “Hey, can I leave my luggage here and go to class now? I will come and collect them along with my room key evening.”

Miss Rose leaves a sigh. “Okay,” she nods. “Now rush to class.”

“Thanks,” I smile at her and quickly rush out of the office. My first hour, Geography starts at 9:15 and It's already past 9:15. So I quickly run in search of my class, not wanting to be late on my first day itself.